Williams Kherkher Hart Boundas, LLP

Profile

Formed in 1983 in Houston, Williams Kherkher Hart Boundas has grown to become one of the largest litigation firms in Texas. Founder and managing partner John Eddie Williams is perhaps best known for his role as one of five attorneys to win a multibillion-dollar settlement on behalf of the state in its lawsuit against tobacco companies.

But Williams and his team of 30 lawyers and nearly 150 full-time staff have left their mark in a variety of areas of litigation. The firm has taken on companies that produced asbestos-related products, it has battled oil and gas refinery leaders whose negligence was responsible for the deaths of dozens of workers throughout the past two decades, and it has hauled giant pharmaceutical corporations into court for failing to warn consumers about the risks associated with the drugs they produced.

The Williams Kherkher lawyers named to the Texas Super Lawyers® – Rising Stars list for 2008 are Amy Carter, John Neese, Marc Pinney and Samantha Flores. Each one has been instrumental in some of the firm’s core litigation areas. Carter’s main focus is on the firm’s massive Vioxx docket. “Well-behaved women seldom make history,” Carter says. “I’m excited to be part of a firm where being an aggressive, creative advocate for my clients is not only encouraged, but expected.”

Neese leads the firm’s welding-fume litigation and environmental contamination dockets. “From the managing partner on down, Williams Kherkher’s culture is one that never permits the blessings or trappings of success to obscure a genuine, humble dedication to helping injured people during some of the most difficult times of their lives,” he says. “That’s what has impressed me most about the firm.”

Pinney works on the firm’s largest and longest-running docket—asbestos—and also handles personal injury cases. “The most rewarding part of my work is helping individuals stand on equal ground with the world’s largest corporations,” Pinney says.

Flores is also a member of the asbestos team. Her chief responsibility is managing cases for cancer claimants. “Despite the recent opinions of Texas courts regarding proof in asbestos cases, this firm remains committed to diligently representing our clients to obtain the results they genuinely deserve,” Flores says.

As Williams Kherkher prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary, the firm looks back with pride on the more than 30,000 clients it has represented. Whether a case involves catastrophic injury or contract disputes, Williams Kherkher is proud of its record of achievement as well as its high ethical standards.